November 8, 2010

The Death Valley Gang was camping out this weekend, but the Fire Lookout's end-of-season barbecue was on Saturday, so we could only get out for a Sunday visit. Andy always looks forward to some time on the firing line, and he got a chance to break in a new 38 Special. He shot Marsha's new pink-pearl handled Beretta, a couple 357's, and a cowboy-style wheel gun. As usual, he was a crack shot. Sherry got out on the range too and enjoyed the competition.

Andy starts reloading as Jake steps up to the firing line.

Sherry looking for dates!

After washing the lead off our hands, Andy stayed back in camp to visit, while Sherry and I went with some of the group to the China Ranch Oasis and Date Farm. The archeological history of this place goes back to Pre-Columbian times, but the recent history is that a Chinese man named either Quon Sing or Ah Foo came to this canyon after many years of work in the Death Valley borax mines. He developed the water, planted fruits and vegetables, and raised meat for the local mining camps. It became known as Chinaman's Ranch. But, sometime in 1900, a man named Morrison appeared, and, as the story goes, he ran the Chinese farmer off at gun point and claimed the Ranch for his own. Tough times in a tough place, but we had a blast.

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"Every now and then go away, have a little relaxation, for when you come back to your work your judgment will be surer. Go some distance away because then the work appears smaller and more of it can be taken in at a glance and a lack of harmony and proportion is more readily seen." - Leonardo da Vinci